Snap Shots: Growing
by AdmHawthorne
Summary: One shot set in the "New Experiences" universe. This covers a few brief scenes in the start of Jane and Maura's life together. Set about a few years after "Snap Shots: On the Way"


**This is a one shot from my "New Experiences" universe. I'll probably do a few more... sort of snap shots of Maura and Jane's life. I like this universe, but I don't want to do another long series on it. So, you'll probably get one shots here and there.**

**As always, the characters aren't mine. I get nothing from this but the satisfaction of writing a fun story about two of my fav characters.**

**I would love reviews on this. Thank you for taking time to read this!**

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><p>Jane rolled over, arm reaching out to find nothing beside her but cold sheets. Cracking an eye open, she glanced around the darkened bedroom. The clock told her it was 2:30 in the morning, and she could just make out Joe snoring somewhere in the room.<p>

With a quiet groan, she rolled out of bed, pulled on the pajama bottoms she kept in a pile on the floor, and padded softly through the house to the nursery, once office. There she found Maura sitting in the rocking chair with Alessa sleeping quietly in her arms. It took a moment for Jane to realize that her wife was also sleeping despite the fact she was still gently rocking them both.

She stood in the doorway taking the picture in, trying to memorize it. Maura was in a fuzzy bathrobe she'd picked up at some exotic location. Once pristine, it was now tattered with just a hint of baby drool on one shoulder. The normally perfect blonde hair was haphazard, and her robe was tied at an odd angle. Despite herself, Jane had to chuckle. She'd never been so attracted to a person in her life. Even as a tired as they both were from trying to adjust to being new parents, Maura could still turn her on without even trying. She was still the sexiest woman Jane had ever laid eyes on.

Making her way into the room, Jane bent over to gently pick the sleeping baby up. Immediately, small whimpers came from the child. "Shh," Jane whispered, softly speaking to the babe, "I know exactly how you feel. I feel the same way when we have to get up in the morning and go to work, and I have to roll out of those arms." She kissed the baby's head, gently rocking her as she stood by the crib. "What's wrong, little one? Why are you so fussy? Everything will be okay, but you have to let me and your mom sleep right now." She smiled as she gently placed the now peaceful baby back in her crib. "It'll be fine, okay?" She reached in to smooth the unruly, curly dark hair.

"Do you promise to run a marathon later?" Maura's sleepy voice drifted through the room.

"Hey," Jane glanced back to give her wife an amused look. "Guess we've done this before, huh?"

"Once at least," the blonde reached a hand up to ask for help. "Her fever's gone down. She should sleep for the rest of the night."

"Morning," Jane corrected.

"What time is it?" Maura wrapped herself around the taller woman, resting her head on Jane's shoulder.

"Around 2:30 in the morning. Come on before she wakes up again." The brunette placed a kiss in the crown of blonde hair.

"Too tired to move," the doctor quietly whined.

"Hmmm," in a quick move, Jane swooped to pick up Maura causing the smaller woman to yelp in surprise. "Quiet, my little ME, or you'll wake the baby," she muttered into Maura's ear as she carried her to the bedroom.

"Jane, I can walk," Maura weakly protested, though she wrapped her arms around the detective's neck.

"Don't care," Jane shot back as she placed her wife in their bed. "Are you tired?"

"Well, I _did_ just take a nap," Maura replied, a playful smile lighting up her face.

"Did you have something in mind?" Jane pulled her bottoms off, leaving them where they fell.

"Really, Mrs. Rizzoli, for a detective, you have your moments," Maura shot back as she leaned over to catch her wife in a heated kiss.

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><p>"Okay, are you ready?" Jane's amused voice echoed through the house.<p>

_What are they up to?_ Maura was finishing up an article she was writing for publication. Seated at the kitchen table, she couldn't see her wife and daughter where they sat in the floor by the coffee table, but she had a good idea what they might be doing. _Sometimes it's hard to tell who the four year old is around here._ She chuckled to herself.

"Yeah!" Alessa's voice rang out before she burst into a fit of giggles. "Ma, which one are you going to attack first?"

"You know," Jane replied.

_Oh yes, it's Sunday morning. That means Attack of the 50 foot Gummy Bear Monsters._ Maura closed her laptop and stood to go sit on the sofa to watch the show. "Wait a moment, please."

"Mom, hurry! They might get away." Alessa stood up, her head barely seen over the back of sofa.

"I'm almost there," Maura kissed her daughter on the head and her wife on the lips as she made her way to the sofa.

"Ewww," their daughter made a face, her bright hazel eyes scrunching in disgust. "Yuck! Cooties."

"Where did she pick _that_ up from?" The doctor threw an accusing glance over to the brunette.

"Her Uncle Frankie," Jane responded, rolling her eyes. "One of these days, you're not going to think it's yuckie," she said to her daughter, reaching out pull her over and attack her with tickles and kisses.

"Ma! Nooooo!" The little girl screeched, her giggles filling up the air.

Settling, Maura looked over at the two with a smile. _She's such a good mother. _"Okay, you two."

Jane let go, laughing as she did so.

"Ma, _which one_? Red, right?" The little girl resumed her position, leaning over the coffee table.

Jane was in a similar position, her eyes looking over the rows of gummy bears that seemed to be innocently sitting in their respective places. "Yup. On the count of three, okay?"

"Got it!"

As Jane and Alessa counted out loud together, Maura watched with something akin to wonder. _I think our little girl might have a higher than average IQ. She's too young to test right now, but, next year, we should. I'll have to talk to Jane about it tonight after we put Alessa to bed._

"ATTACK!" Jane shouted as she and the little brunette began eating the gummy bears, tearing their heads off and making sounds of gummy bear fear and gummy bear terror between eating the sweet treats.

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><p>"135? She has an IQ of 135? Holy crap, Maura, our kid's a freaking genius." Jane stared at the test results as they sat in the office of Dr. Stanely Decker.<p>

"Clearly," Maura deadpanned before giving her wife a smile. "I thought that might be the case."

"The odds were in her favor, Dr. Rizzoli. After all, you, yourself, have an above average IQ. Though I don't know what Jane…"

"I'm about as average as they come," Jane responded, frowning slightly. "Well, I mean, I'm pretty sure I'm average. I don't think I'm _below_ average," she muttered.

"It wouldn't matter. After all, you're not the child's biological mother. If you knew the history of the donor's family, then we could pinpoint…"

"We know everything about the donor, thank you, and Alessa is as close to my biological daughter as she can get." The growl coming from Jane's throat was not missed by her wife.

"Dr. Decker, please," Maura placed a hand on Jane's leg. _Jane, stand down._ "We don't like to discuss those specifics unless it's absolutely necessary. You understand?"

"Oh yes, of course. I'm sorry, Dr. Rizzoli, Detective. I didn't mean to be insensitive." He leaned back in his chair, considering the two women. "Are you going to consider placing her somewhere to help encourage her intellect?"

"We placed her in early education classes at Charleston Montessori when she was four. She did well there, and she goes three times a week after school." Maura glanced over at the very quiet, withdrawn detective. "But, we'll have to discuss it before anything else can be decided, of course."

"Well, you two have been doing a wonderful job. Alessa is wonderful to work with. If you have any questions or need a referral, please don't hesitate to come ask me."

"We will, thank you." Maura stood, pulling Jane with her. "Jane, are you ready to go pick Alessa up?"

"Yeah, sure. Thanks, Dr. Decker," the detective shook the older man's hand before following her wife outside.

"Jane, are you okay? You're very quiet." _Too quiet._

"I don't want to hold her back, Maur. Whatever we should be doing, I want to do it for her." Jane stuck her hands in her pockets, keeping her gaze on the ground.

"Hold her back? What do you mean by that?" _Don't do this, Jane. _

"Well, I'm no genius, but, if the specialist thinks we should be getting her into something to help give her a leg up on going places, then maybe we should."

"Jane, just stop." Maura placed a hand on the taller woman's arm, stopping them both just outside the daycare center where their daughter was playing with a few other children. "We're doing just fine on our own. You're a wonderful mother, and Alessa adores you as much as I do. You give her all the things I can't, and you teach all the things about society and life I haven't a clue on. We'll do whatever is best for our little girl and whatever keeps her _happy_. I have no desire to steal her childhood away in some ill-fated attempt to give her a 'leg up' on getting into some prep school later in life. No one is holding our child back, and no one is going to push her further than she's ready to go either. Okay?"

"Maura, are you sure we shouldn't at least _think_ about putting her in some advanced classes or something?" Jane made a face, her shoulders hunching over.

"She's in ballet because she showed an interest and asked. She's also in peewee softball for the same reason. She's at the Montessori school because we both thought she was getting bored at home, and it's a good way for her to meet friends outside of her school. She's taking piano lessons because you insisted, but I approve. Music should always be a part of a child's life. She seems to actually be enjoying the lessons, however, so I haven't had an issue keeping the lessons up. What more could we possibly put her in? She'll start the second grade next year."

"That's true." Jane gave a sigh, pulling her hands out of her pockets. "I guess we are doing okay. I just don't want to mess up. I want her to be able to do whatever she wants to do, and, with a brain like hers, she could really go places, Maur." Jane looked in through the window to watch their little girl play. "She doesn't have to be a … anything she doesn't want to be."

"What if she _wants_ to be a cop, Jane?" Maura stepped beside her wife, wrapping her arms around Jane's left.

"I would beg her not to, but I wouldn't stop her. I mean, how could I? But, she's only 5. Maybe we'll luck out and she'll decide to be a doctor or something."

"Yes, because we don't have a doctor in the family already," Maura said, humor playing through her words.

"That's not… really? Come on, my little ME, cut me some slack here. I just found out that my daughter and my wife are both way smarter than I am. I'm out numbered and out gunned here."

"Somehow, I think you'll manage," Maura pulled on Jane's arm, encouraging the detective to lean over so she could place a kiss on the taller woman's cheek. "Ready to pick her up and go?"

"Oh yeah, let's get out of here."


End file.
